Swimming wing



April 12, 1927.

W. KENNEDY `SWIMMING WING Original Filed-Nov. 22. 1923 Patente-d Apr. 12, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAIVI KENNEDY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS, TO AIRUBBER CORPORA'IION, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWIMMING- WING.

Application led November 22, 1923, Serial No. 676,215. Renewed September 7, 1926.

My invention relates to a device to be em` adapted to across the chest or body of the user with the inflatable portions or wings disposed rearward of the arms and adjacent to the shoulders of the user so as to maintain the user afloat; the connecting band or strap having any suitable shape, preferably of narrow width and preferably composed of non-elastic material.

Another obj ect of my invention isv to provide a swimming device which is air tight; economical in construction; comparatively cheap to manufacture and provided with .suitable valves of simple and efficient construction whereby accidental deflation of the inflated portions or wings will be prevented.

The above enumerated objects and the advantages inherent in my invention will all be more readily comprehended from the detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is a plan view of my improved swimming wing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged detailed sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; showing the portion or wing partially inflated.

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4l is a detail sectional view showing a modification of the invention.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a swimming device which may be readily applied to the body of the bather or swimmer without employing fastening means and wherein the inflatable or air-holding portions or wings will readily and properly position themselves when the user enters the water. In order that the inflatable portions will in no way interfere with the free movement or action of the bather or swimmer, it

is preferable that the inflatable portions or wings be of less width or dimensions at the points where they are connected to the connecting strap or band, namely at a point adjacent to the body and arms of the user. For this reason, the iniiatable portions or air-holding bags 10, 10 are preferably shown somewhat pear-shape or oblong, with the reduced ends 11, 11 provided with a band or strap 12 preferably of non-elastic material and of comparatively narrow width as shown in Figure 1. The band 12 is of any suitable fabric, with the ends thereof preferably folded upon themselves, as shown at 18 in Figure 3, so as to reenforce the ends where they are suitably stitched or otherwise securely fastened to the marginal portions 141 at the reduced ends 11 of the inflatable portions or wings 10.

In the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2, my improved swimming wing has the air-holding portions or inflatable wings formed of a suitable rubberized fabric composed of a pair of similarly shaped or cut sheets 15 and 16 having the marginal edges thereof vulcanized together as at 17 in Figure 2; while the reduced portion or neck 11 is vulcanized at the point indicated at 18 so as to leave the unvulcanized end or marginal portion 14 to which the band or strap 12 is preferably stitched as shown in order that the stitching will in no way interfere with or in any way affect the air-holding wings or portions.

rilie reduced portions 11 of both wings 10, at points adjacent to the stitching lei, are each provided with a short rubber tubing 19, preferably arranged so as to be disposed up- "'ardly and in a slightly inclining manner as shown in Figure 1 so as to be in easy reach of the mouth of the user. The inner end of the tube 19 is provided with a suitable ferrule 20, see Figure 3, arranged within the tube to reenforce the latter and permit the fabric constituting the wings to be vulcanized about and onto the rubber tubingl at the point indicated at 21 in Figure 3 and thus provide an absolute air tight connection or seam.

Each tubing` is provided with a valve member in the nature of a plug or pin 22, preferably provided with a rounded or blunt end and with a head portion 23 of dimensions slightly larger than the diameter of the tube; the plug proper being of a size slightly greater than the internal diameter- Vot' the tube 19 lor Vthe purpose ol `providing' a secure and snug lit. This simple valve construction not vonly permits the easy opening and closing oi' the tubing, but also provides a valve which cannot easily be affected 0r shifted to allow escape of air.

TVith the separately inflatable portions or wings having no air transmitting connection therebetween, it is evident that injury or puncture of one "oil: `the portions or wings will in no way ali'eet the other, with the result that the entire buoyant ell"ea'^'t'i'\"ene`ss or capacit ol" the swimming wing is not 'destroyed under such conditions.

ln Figure il, l show a modilication ot the invention, wherein 'the wing portions or bags are composed el any suitable lfabric and each wing or portion provided with a small inflatable elastic rubber bag 25, preierably oli pure rubber, and normally of materially smaller dimensions than the outer bags 224-, and also preferably or' oblong or pear-shape similar to the outer 2l. Each inner bag 25 is provided with a small rubber' tube 26, either integrally connected therewith or otherwise suitably secured thereto, as for example by means of a thread or band wound about the neel; ot' tl'e bag v25 and the end of 'the tube 26 as shown at 2T; in which event the inner end ofthe tube 26 is also preferably provided with a` lerrule like 'that shown at 2O in Figure 3. The tubes 26 extend through suitable eyeleted openings as shown at 28, in snug lit-ting relation therewith so as to maintain the rubber bag in place when the latter is dellated, especially `when the rubber bags '25 are normally smaller than the outer portions or bags Q-l; the eyeleted openings in the respective portions or wings being so ar- 'anged that the tubes 2t; will 'be disposed upwardly at an inclination as shown in Fig'- ure l so as to be within easy reach or' `the mouth ol the user. 'llhese tubes, like. tubes 19, are provided with the closures or plugs 2L. as shown in Figure 3, o'lisuch size as to :-;l.ightly distend the ends o li the tube and provide a lirin sealing relation therewith to prevent accident-al witlulrawa-han'd also prevent the escape of air. The fabric portions or wings Qlare suitably secured to 'the "nonelastic and non-inflatable strip or band l2, preferably by hemming or suitably sewing the bags or portions 2st and ends of the band together as shown. y

The wings 'or bags are preferably of "the oblong or more or less pear-shape because tins permits the devlce to adapt itselil read- `ny to the body ot the user; although dil'- lerent shapes may be employed and the wings provided with a reduced or neel; portion at a. point where the win-gs or bags are secured to the non-elastic band or strap l2. My invention provides a swimming Wing or device which is economical and inexpensive in manufacture, because the various portions ol' the swimming wings may be cut into shape wit-hout `expensive waste ot material, while at the same time providing a device which will remain inflated and wherein the inflatable portions or wings areA indciendent of earch other and of suilieient capacity to maintain the swimmer afloat in the event ot one'oi the wings or portions becoming inoperative or punctured.

The constructions s'ho'i'vn l Abelieve to be the simplest and `best adaptations et the invention, which have been described in terms employed merelya's terms olf description and not rlas terms olf limitation7 as modifications are possible and may be made without, however, departing from the spirit of my invention.

What l claim is :d

1. Aswimming wing composed of a. pair `of separately inflatable air-holding bags having an outer surface 'of fabric and a reduced end, fthe upper side of the reduced 'end o'l each being provided with au opening, an inflatable elastic bag, el? norn'i'ally 'smaller dimensions, having a reduced end, arranged in each of said first mentioned bags or wing portions, the reduced ends of the elastic bags being each provided with a tube disposed upwardly through the opening inthe outer bag and in 'snug `litting rela tion therewith so as to prevent shitting of the elastic bag, closures for each of said 'tubes,and a non-elastic and non-inlatable flexible -'band secured at its ends to the reduced ends `of the llirst mentioned bags or wing portions. y l

WILLIAM KENNEDY. 

